Congress stages walkout from LS over Sitharaman's absence when Budget debate was initiated

The Congress staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha on Monday in protest of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's absence from the House when the debate on the Union Budget was initiated. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged the finance minister had committed a breach of the age-old Parliamentary convention by remaining absent from the House.

Soon after Shashi Tharoor spoke on the Budget, Congress members staged a walkout. Tharoor was the first speaker and he initiated the debate on the Union Budget in the Lower House.

"The finance minister remained conspicuously absent from the House when the discussion on the Union Budget is being initiated," Chowdhury told reporters.


"I think it is the breach of the age-old convention of the Indian Parliament system. That is why we thought it prudent to lodge our protest by walking out of the House," Chowdhury said.